Robbery suspect and ‘Cops’ crew member killed by Omaha police in shootout

A suspect is dead and a crew member from the reality TV show “Cops” has died after police in Omaha, Nebraska, responded to a robbery in progress at a Wendy’s restaurant.

According to Omaha.com, a lone police officer radioed from the Wendy’s around 9:20 p.m. to call for backup. A robbery was in progress involving a man wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt and a white bandanna.

Deputy Police Chief Dave Baker told Omaha.com that the suspect opened fire, spraying bullets into the restaurant’s dining room and shattering its east-facing windows. The officer on the scene reportedly returned fire, killing the suspect.

Omaha.com later reported that the suspect was carrying an air gun that looked like an actual gun. The only real shots fired came from police.

Multiple people were injured, but the suspect was the only fatality, said Baker. The injured were taken to local hospitals and treated. A crew member from “Cops,” 38-year-old Bryce Dion, died from his injuries.

“We are deeply saddened and shocked by this tragedy and our main concern is helping his family in any way we can. Bryce Dion was a long term member of the Cops team and a very talented and dedicated person. We mourn his passing. An investigation is ongoing and we are cooperating with local authorities,” Langley Productions, the producer of “Cops,” said in a statement.

“Cops” has been filming in Omaha for much of the summer. The show’s producers and local police had hoped that filming police actions for television would improve relations between the police force and the community.

In June, Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said, “(I) want the professionalism of our officers on display for the city and world to see.”

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David Ferguson is an editor at Raw Story. He was previously writer and radio producer in Athens, Georgia, hosting two shows for Georgia Public Broadcasting and blogging at Firedoglake.com and elsewhere. He is currently working on a book.